With today's vending machines, one or more graphics pieces are provided in a particular arrangement to form the face of the vending machine. These graphics pieces may be designed to attract attention to the vending machine, or may be utilized to promote a particular item. These graphics pieces may become damaged over time, or the item being promoted may change. Thus, it becomes necessary to change one or more of the graphics pieces in order to change the appearance of the vending machine.
In order to prevent theft of the graphics pieces in existing vending machines, the faces of the vending machines are designed so that the graphics pieces are not readily removable from the exterior of the machine. Therefore, it is necessary to open the vending machine door in order to obtain access to the interior of the door for the purpose of changing one or more of the graphics pieces from the inside of the door. Thus, the interior contents of the vending machine are accessible to the person changing the graphics piece, including the vault containing money therein. Accordingly, only certain trusted people can be authorized to perform the task of changing the graphics pieces because of security issues with respect to the contents of the vending machine.
There is a need in the art for a vending machine having a face including at least one graphics piece, whereby the graphics piece may be changed without opening the vending machine door. This would allow the owner of the vending machine to give someone the task of changing the graphics piece without having to worry about the security of the money inside the vault area by giving that person access only to the graphics piece instead of a key to the vending machine door.